Universal and Paramount are both celebrating their centennial anniversary in 2012, and like Paramount, Universal is debuting a new logo to mark the occasion. That logo will bow on March 2 in front of Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax, and be on all Universal films going forward.

The studio is doing something much better than that, however. A press release announces that Universal will also restore thirteen classic films this year. The films are: All Quiet on the Western Front, The Birds, Buck Privates, Dracula (1931), Dracula (Spanish, 1931), Frankenstein, Jaws, Schindler’s List, Out of Africa, Pillow Talk, Bride of Frankenstein, The Sting and To Kill a Mockingbird. Precise details of the restorations are yet to be revealed.

Many of those will hit Blu-ray, starting with To Kill a Mockingbird this month; Jaws and E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial will follow, with 2012 finishing off with Blu-ray releases of Universal’s classic monster lineup and Alfred Hitchcock films. The full press release is below. Read More »